Description of the Prior Art
In the use of forming tools such as milling machines and metal drills and the like, it has been the practice to mount the tool on a support that enabled the tool to be oriented by an operator in selected positions to carry out forming operations on a stationary workpiece. This procedure permitted the workpiece to be fastened in place for substantial stability throughout the forming operations. However, the expense of the tools and its positioning mechanisms as the complexity of the work to be performed increases also increased or the durability of the tools and associated positioning supports was sacrificed for greater flexibility in the use of the tools.
To offset these disadvantages, multi-station work stations have been employed where the workpiece is shifted manually or by a conveyor system from one station to another and separate forming operations are carried out at each station. In such arrangements, the precision of the forming work often depends on the accuracy of placement and securement of each workpiece in each station which steps may consume considerable labor and/or capital investment corresponding to the exactness demanded by the task at hand.